Downloads send European audio book markets soaring

FRANKFURT: With an iPod generation coming of age and more bestsellers like "Harry Potter" available for download, audio book markets in continental Europe will soar 20 percent this year and next, industry insiders predict.

CIOL : News : Downloads send European audio book markets soaring: "FRANKFURT: With an iPod generation coming of age and more bestsellers like 'Harry Potter' available for download, audio book markets in continental Europe will soar 20 percent this year and next, industry insiders predict."

Publishers become retailers by selling online

Without huge fanfare, many publishers have started to sell their titles on-line. So far neither traditional nor online retailers have reacted, and as yet it is unclear what percentage of the market publishers are quietly taking...

CIOL : News : Publishers become retailers by selling online

Google is sued by book publishers

Google's plan to scan and digitise the contents of five major libraries is hitting a major hurdle as publishers weigh in on the legal action:


BBC NEWS | Business | Google is sued by book publishers

Genre specific?

With theatre and cinema, genres can sit happily side by side and be judged on their own merit, but woe betide the book that falls into a genre. As soon as a book can be described as 'crime', 'science fiction' or any other genre, it falls off the literary radar.
Guardian Unlimited Books | News | Genre specific

Behind the scenes- what do authors really feel about film adaptations?

Is it just a commercial decision or is more a stake when a writer signs on the dotted line to have their book 'adapted' for the big screen? Some authors have been known to turn down huge offers in order to preserve the integrity of their characters, others have had to stand by helplessly as their book emerges in an unrecognisable form in the cinema:

Books - reviews and literary news from The Times and The Sunday Times

So many Books so little time!!

If, like many book lovers you reach the end of the year, bemoaning the number of good books you've probably missed because you just didn't have time to read them... Here's a figure that's not going to do anything to improve your mood:
Last year (2004) a staggering 375 000 NEW books were published in the English language! This represents 40% of the world publishng industry's output of new titles.


Anglophone Countries Produced 40% of World's Books in 2004

Nobel prize goes to Pinter

Harold Pinter, has just wone the Nobel prize for Drama. The seventy-five year old playwright had just returned from Dublin when he heard the news. The Gate theatre had put on a special series celebrating both his birthday and their long association with him. His play 'Betrayal' opens in the Gate tonight.

Read more:

RTE.ie Entertainment

Guardian Unlimited Books

No more excuses - National Novel Writing Month

National novel writing montnh in the US has been running for a couple of years now. There's an excellent website with loads advice on getting going, and later on getting unstuck. So if you feel up to the challenge of writing 50000 words in the month of November- pay them a visit and sign up!

Website - National Novel Writing Month

Who needs a goal on Wednesady?

We have plenty to celebrate with John Banville being named the surprise winner in the Booker prize last night. Read more on:


RTE.ie Entertainment - Banville named Booker Prize winner